There are a variety of uses for ballistic protection materials. For example, personal armor, such as a bullet proof vest, is useful for protecting individuals. Some ballistic protection materials have been incorporated into vehicles, such as military aircraft, ships or land vehicles. One aspect of most ballistic protection materials used for vehicle applications is that they are added on the vehicle to supplement the structural materials of the vehicle. While this approach is valuable in that it provides protection for occupants and vehicle components it has the potential drawback of adding weight and expense.
Some ballistic protection materials that have been proposed for vehicles are limited to a flat, planar configuration. This limits the manner in which the material may be incorporated into components that have some curvature or another shape.
Another aspect of some ballistic protection materials is that they are designed for a specific purpose or to protect against an attack that involves a particular type of ammunition. It therefore may not be possible to utilize one type of ballistic protection material intended for one application in a different context.